Chapter 114 Hostage
(Zhizi — a prince sent to be held as a hostage in a neighboring state in ancient China)
"The Emperor has arrived! The Empress has arrived! ”
The shrill and penetrating voice of the chamberlain came from the side of the Taihe Hall.
As soon as the words fell, they saw the Emperor and Empress as well as a cadre of concubines enter the main hall surrounded by all the palace maids.
Everyone at the banquet bowed their heads and knelt down to salute and welcome the Holy Master:
“Greetings to Your Majesty, long live long live forever!”
"Greetings to Her Majesty the Queen. May you live a thousand years and a thousand thousand years!”
“Rise” The Emperor walked up to the Golden Throne with a big smile on his face, glowing with radiance, “Today is the day of great joy, all officials and ladies of the house do not have to be so polite, just celebrate well and have fun!”
Although the emperor said so, who dares to take it seriously?
After a series of tedious and long etiquette, everyone finally sat down again.
Looking down at the officials, the Emperor felt that the world was in his hands, and he was happy, saying aloud: "A few months ago, there was a rebellion in Jiangnan. Zhen's heart was not at peace! Thinking about it day and night, I couldn't sleep or eat well. Fortunately, there is a good minister who can ease Zhen's worries. Marquis Wei Yang, you are truly Zhen's right arm, a blessed General, a virtuous General, and a capable assistant!
The Emperor's words were spoken with grandeur and real emotion. More importantly, he expressed his endless love for Marquis Wei Yang.
"Your Majesty." Wei Yang Marquis, an eight foot man's eyes were red at this time, "This battle’s victory is not the credit of the minister! It is Your Majesty's blessing, the blessing of all the people ......" He, a military General, really couldn't think of any more words to flatter and could only dryly add one more sentence, "This is all Your Majesty's wisdom!"
“The great victory in Jiangnan is all due to Your Majesty's holy wisdom!” Immediately, a wise man took the lead and knelt down and said.
Immediately, everyone in the hall knelt down and shouted, “The great victory in Jiangnan is all due to Your Majesty's holy wisdom!”
This voluminous voice echoed throughout the great hall with a grandeur that resounded throughout the world.
"Good! Good! Good!" The Emperor replied three times in a row, walked down to help Marquis Wei Yang up, and said to him with a smile on his face, "Marquis Weiyang is truly Zhen's loyal and devoted minister!
The Weiyang Marquis was once again grateful, while the ministers once again sang their praises. ...... After a long time, the people could sit down again.
The banquet finally began.
All kinds of delicacies from the mountains and the sea, fine wines and delicacies were brought to the table by small palace maids who were slender, beautiful and uniformly dressed. The rich aroma of the food and wine permeated the entire Great Hall.
“This wine ...... is at least fifty years old!” The eyes of the wine-loving ones among the ministers glowed, and they couldn't bear to pour down a jug of the fine wine.
The crowd ate happily, and as they mingled, the atmosphere in the great hall grew more and more enthusiastic.
(TL note: Wang is a title mostly given to princes after achievement or adulthood. Zhennan Wang is the 1st rank Prince title given to a non blood related person because ML grandpa helped the 1st emperor to create this new dynasty. So he is given this title of feudal king with territory.)
At this moment, Zhennan Wang suddenly stood up without saying a word.How could the movement in this hall be concealed from other people's eyes? The voices of the ministers lowered, and their eyes fell on this illustrious name, the only king of the Dayu Dynasty with a different surname!
The Zhennan Wang walked solemnly to the middle of the hall and knelt down to the Emperor on the golden throne
“Your Majesty, this minister has been in the royal capital for more than four months! Although the royal capital is good, this minister is concerned about the safety and security of the southern border, and often has trouble sleeping and eating at night! I hope that Your Majesty will allow this minister to return to the Southern Border to guard the territory for Your Majesty!”
He spoke with righteousness and loyalty to the emperor, but the atmosphere in the Taihe Hall went cold all of a sudden.
Many of the courtiers were complaining in their hearts that this Zhennan Wang, if this matter can't be mentioned, then I have to mention it now! So much so that now they don't even dare to make a sound in the atmosphere.
There are also some smart ministers who know very well that the Emperor is afraid of the Zhennan Wang.It is not easy to take advantage of the foundation ceremony to invite the Zhennan Wang’s father and son to the royal capital, how will it be easy to indulge the tiger to return to the mountain! I'm afraid that this is not the first time that Zhennan Wang begged the Emperor to return!
That's right, Zhennan Wang actually already send a memorial book to apply for a return to Southern Xinjiang as early as a few months ago.But after his memorial entered the palace, it was like a mud cow entering the sea, and there was no message...it was just once, and it was like this three times.Where could Zhennan Wang not understand the emperor's thoughts? He was nothing more than jealous of the feudal kings and did not dare to let them return to their fiefdoms.
But he must go back to Southern Xinjiang!
If he wanted the emperor to agree, he could only bring it up in public, so that the emperor would have to agree.
The emperor was originally in a peaceful and happy mood, but by the Zhennan Wang, his face instantly stiffened and he said vaguely, “This matter is not urgent, the Zhennan Wang will stay in the royal capital for a few more days, and this matter will be discussed later.” Saying that, he narrowed his eyes and stared dangerously at the Zhennan Wang. He would like to see if this Zhennan Wang dared to dismiss his face in public!
However, there was absolutely no way that Zhennan Wang would give up this great opportunity just because of a little threat from the Emperor. He knew that if he missed this opportunity, the days of returning to Southern Xinjiang would be far away, and this was definitely not something he wanted to see.
Zhennan Wang was about to speak again, but Xiao Yi stood out and walked to his side with a smile on his face.
“Father! What's so good about that hellish place in Southern Xinjiang? Apart from the grass, trees and rainforests, it's just poisonous insects, ants and beasts! It's not as good as the royal capital!” Xiao Yi made a slutty and uninhibited appearance and said frivolously, “The royal capital is so good! Beauty, wine, and food are everywhere. Father, let's stay in the royal capital for a few more days. His Majesty has already let us stay!”
The Zhennan Wang saw that the good situation was about to be stirred up by his son, his eyes almost bursting into flames, but he was concerned about the occasion and had no way to move him.
The emperor's eyes fell on Xiao Yi thoughtfully, a plan emerged in his mind, and he said in a pretentious and loving tone: "Xiao Yi, do you want to stay in the capital forever?"
"Can I?" Xiao Yi looked at the emperor with surprise, "Uncle Emperor, can I not go back to that shabby place in Southern Xinjiang and stay in the capital forever?"
Although the ministers kept silent, they felt sad in their hearts that although Zhennan Wang was a vassal king, he had no successor and gave birth to such an unlearned prince.
Only Nangong Yue smiled slightly, she knew that Xiao Yi had adopted her suggestion.
“Sins!” Zhennan Wang finally couldn't help but raise his voice, “It is the duty of my Xiao family to guard the southern border, do you know what you are talking about?”
“Zhennan Wang doesn't have to be so angry!" The emperor put on a peaceful face and said tolerantly, "Since Xiaoyi likes the capital, why not let him stay here? Besides, I like him very much! My dear Xiao, if you are worried about the safety of Southern Xinjiang, why don't you go back first and let Xiaoyi play in the capital for a few more days?" Although he was asking a question, the emperor's expression was unquestionable.
"Zhen has decided to personally grant the Shizi of Zhennan wang fu a Shizi’s mansion. Zhennan Wang, this way, you won't worry about Xiao Yi being bullied in the royal capital!" The emperor looked at Zhennan Wang with a gentle gaze, but with a strong sense of oppression.
“This..." Zhennan Wang looked embarrassed on the surface, but he had already made a decision in his heart.
Xiao Yi was just a naughty kid, leaving him in the capital would not be a loss to me. Moreover, I could use this opportunity to return to Southern Xinjiang. That was the best of both worlds!
“Just follow Your Majesty's wishes!” Zhennan Wang let out a sigh and agreed as if he was very helpless.
"Good!" The emperor laughed loudly. In the past few days, he not only took back the military power from Marquis Weiyang and consolidated his imperial power, but also solved the worries about southern Xinjiang that had troubled him for a long time.
With Xiao Yi as a hostage in the royal capital, Zhennan Wang's hands will be tied in whatever he wants to do, but if he has second thoughts and disregards his own son and rises up to rebel, then he is bound to be spurned by the world! How can you win the world if the people's heart is against you?
As for Xiao Yi, after enjoying himself in Wangdu for a long time, he will definitely become more and more alienated from Zhennan Wang's father and son. In addition, Zhennan Wang also has a worry-free step-princess... When Xiao Yi returns to the Zhennan palace in the future, it is bound to make waves due to the succession to the throne.It would be better if in the end they could let them fight inwardly and fight to the death, and in the end they would lose and hurt each other.
In this way, he might even be able to get rid of the Zhennan Wang Family, a major problem, without any bloodshed!
The emperor had a good plan in mind and felt very happy. He said, "Zhennan Wang, drink this cup deeply. I will see you off tomorrow." As he said this, he raised the cup and drank it all.
The Zhennan Wang's depression that had accumulated in his heart was also swept away as he said, “Good! Chen thanks Your Majesty!”
In just a few words, the two of them had finalized Xiao Yi's stay and departure, and they did not even ask one more question about his opinion.
Zhennan Wang became more and more disgusted with Xiao Yi in his heart, feeling that his eldest son was foolish and beyond redemption. On other hand, Xiao Yi makes a clumsy coincidence, even letting the emperor to let himself out of the royal capital, but also have to say, Xiao Yi this is considered to do a good thing.
The imperial court's civil and military officials did not say a word. They were on the outside of the situation and could naturally see the Emperor's and Zhennan Wang's minds more clearly. The Emperor and Zhennan Wang achieved their goals in this matter. Only poor Xiao Yi thought he was deeply favored by the Emperor, but he was treated like a pawn by the Emperor and an abandoned son by his biological father!
In the middle of the banquet, Xiao Fang Shi's face was worried and dignified as she looked at the scene of the Emperor and Zhennan Wang confronting each other in front of the hall, but in her heart, she was ecstatic. Xiao Yi was left behind in the royal capital, and the one who benefited the most was her son, Xiao Luan. In the future, Xiao Yi may be the heir apparent, but he is only a nominal heir. In the future, isn't everything in this Zhennan Wang Fu belong to her Luan Ge'er!
After this ripple, the atmosphere in the great hall became more and more lively. The Zhennan Wang also didn't wear a bitter expression like before, but rather, he was forthright and sparred with the surrounding military Generals over wine.
At the same time, the palace music sounded, the beautiful figure of the dancing girls began to enter the hall dancing ......
Nangong Yue pretended to enjoy the dance, quietly glancing at Xiao Yi's side out of the corner of her eye, but she saw that Zhennan Wang was only talking and laughing with the people around him, and there was not even a trace of the previous face-saving sentiment towards Xiao Yi. And Xiao Yi was smilingly pulling some noble young masters along, drinking wine at one time and pointing at the dancing girls at another.
Xiao Yi looked as if he had noticed Nangong Yue looking at him as he turned his head and gave Nangong Yue an unrestrained smile, clearly not taking Zhennan Wang's disregard to heart.
Upon seeing this, Nangong Yue's high-hanging heart was also half let go, as for the other half.……
She tried to calm down, seemingly enjoying the delicious food at the banquet, but in fact her heart was beating faster and faster, "Bang bang...Bang bang bang..." seemed to echo in her ears.
After eating some food without being able to swallow, Nangong Yue put down her chopsticks.
At this time, another group of palace ladies gracefully walked into the hall with a plate of pastries.That plate of pastries was extremely exquisite, and many girls' eyes lit up, only Nangong Yue was still absent-minded.……
